NASCAR: Joe Gibbs Racing announce driver change for Darlington
By Asher Fair
Denny Hamlin was supposed to compete in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway, but he will not do so.
Denny Hamlin has competed in a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway for Joe Gibbs Racing during each of the last seven seasons, so it was no surprise when the team announced earlier this week that he would be behind the wheel of the “star car”, the #18 Toyota, in Saturday’s race at the “Lady in Black”.
However, on Wednesday, the team announced that the 41-year-old Chesterfield, Virginia native has opted not to compete in this 147-lap Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at the four-turn, 1.366-mile (2.198-kilometer) Darlington, South Carolina oval.
Hamlin was involved in the “Big One” at Daytona International Speedway this past Sunday afternoon when rain began to fall during the Cup Series race, and he continues to have soreness in his neck, back, and hips as a result.
Set to replace him is Cup Series teammate Christopher Bell.
NEWS: @dennyhamlin will still be racing the Southern 500. In Hamlin's Xfinity Series race absence, @CBellRacing will pilot the No. 18 @SportClips Toyota GR Supra in the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200.
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) August 31, 2022
Bell has not competed in the Xfinity Series this season and had no plans of doing so prior to this announcement.
Since moving to the Cup Series full-time in 2020 following a two-year run with Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series, he had made just two starts at the sport’s second highest level. He won last year’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and placed sixth the following month at Daytona International Speedway.
Hamlin is still planning to compete in Sunday’s Cup Series race at the track, the Cook Out Southern 500. This race is the opening race of the four-round, 10-race playoffs. Hamlin enters the round of 16 in sixth place in the standings, six points above the round of 12 cut line.
dark. Next. First points leader misses playoffs
The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 is set to be broadcast live on USA Network beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 3, while the Cook Out Southern 500 is set to be broadcast live on USA Network beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 4. If you haven’t started a free trial of FuboTV, now would be a great time to do so!